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Fresh stars ready to shine in Cypress

 

Fresh stars ready to shine in Cypress

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AOC
Fresh stars ready to shine in Cypress

Some of Australian winter sports most exciting young talents are quietly confident about their chances at Vancouver 2010.

Some of Australian winter sports most exciting young talents are quietly confident about their chances at Vancouver 2010.

Speaking at a press conference today, snowboarder Ben Mates and first time Olympians Scotty James (snowboard), Katya Crema and Scott Kneller (both ski cross) all expressed their excitement at competing over the next two weeks.

Crema is where she wants to be coming into the Games after coming off a personal best of tenth place in the most recent World Cup event in Lake Placid on 24th January,

“I’m competing against all of the same girls that were there. There’s no reason why I can’t aim higher and aim for another top ten,” she said.

Fellow ski cross competitor Kneller is on his way back after a bad crash in Austria in early January which left him with a broken collarbone and concussion.

“I’ve had a great lead up in the last week,” Kneller said.

“My training’s been going really well, I’m back in the gym and back lifting weights and I’m looking forward to the Games.”

James at just 15 is “definitely looking forward” to the crowds and atmosphere that will be present at the Cypress halfpipe. The second youngest member of the Australian Team, behind Britteny Cox, has the added luxury of learning off teammate Torah Bright.

“We both like riding with each other,” he said.

“Torah’s pretty much like my sister and Ben is pretty much like my brother. It’s awesome travelling with her [Bright]”

Mates is hoping to have a much better Olympics second time around. After troubles with his snowboard saw him crash out of contention in Torino, he feels that the weather conditions at Cypress Mountain could play into the Australian team’s advantage as they have “grown up in that environment.”

“We have an edge if the pipe is going to be soft,” Mates said.

Tom Read

AOC - Vancouver

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